Gerald Edward Waguespack earned his BME from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana in 1971. He immediately began his teaching career in Vinton Louisiana as director of Vinton Middle School and Vinton High School Bands. His tenure there produced the first superior ratings in marching, jazz, and concert band in the history of the program. In 1973, he accepted the position of band director at Rayne High School. Upon his arrival he greeted a program of twenty-seven students. Six years later, the band had grown to over 120 members and was the recipient of numerous superior ratings and awards including the only Superior Rating at State Festival in the history of the school. Additionally, he earned his MME from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL-Lafayette) in 1977. In 1979 Waguespack became the director of bands at Acadiana High School, a position he held for twenty-eight years. While at Acadiana, his bands earned numerous accolades including seven top five finishes at BOA regional and super-regional competitions as well as marching in the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades. In 1993 the Acadiana Program became the first in Louisiana to have three ensembles rate superior at the same state festival. In addition to the outstanding performance accomplishments at Acadiana, Waguespack pursued and completed his Ph.D. in Music Education in 2000. This degree was earned from the University of Southern Mississippi. While at USM he studied conducting with Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo and assisted Dr. Steve Moser with the "Pride of Mississippi” Marching Band.
(Presently) Dr. Waguespack assists with directing the "Pride Of
Acadiana” Marching Band and Conducts the Concert Band at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Additionally, he assists the department in whatever capacities deemed necessary. He is active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the south.
Dr. Waguespack holds membership in MENC and LMEA where he served on the board of directors for five years. He served as state chairman of NBA on two occasions. He is the past state chairman of the American School Band Directors Association and past president of Phi Beta Mu. Additionally he holds membership in ASBDA and CBDNA. He has earned many awards as a teacher and director including Phi Beta Mu Band Director of the Year and two NBA Citations of Excellence. He received the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Order of Merit in 1997. He was inducted into Who’s Who in American Teachers on five occasions and received three Lafayette Education Foundation Teacher Awards. He was nationally certified by MENC in 1992 and was the first recipient of the Joe Barry Mullins Fellowship for Graduate Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Re: The Band
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Originally Posted by BrockMeaux
